Nature Treks and Passages
presents
A JOURNEY TO MATA ORTIZ, MEXICO
October 10 - 13, 2008
December 5- 8, 2008
with
Desert Botanical Garden
January 16 - 19, 2009
March 13 - 16, 2009
A Birding and Cultural Tour of the Mata Ortiz/
Casas Grandes Region
$999
For a trip list of birds seen on our previous Mata Ortiz trips, see http://www.naturetreks.net/birdsmatalist.htm .
Experience the special phenomenon of Mata Ortiz – a rural Northern Mexico town that is a successful village of talented potters. See how the pottery is made and enjoy the home-spun hospitality of this town.
A special feature of the trip is a visit to the Amerind Foundation in Dragoon, a private anthropological and archaeological museum and research center dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of Native American cultures and their histories. Located in spectacular Texas Canyon in the Little Dragoon Mountains 60 miles east of Tucson, the Amerind Foundation houses one of the finest private collections of Native American art and artifacts in the country. Dr. Charles Di Peso, one of the founders of this museum, was primarily responsible for the excavation of the Paquime ruins in Casas Grandes that we visit on this tour.
Day 1 – On the November trip we leave Phoenix at 8AM, picking up trip participants in Tucson at 10AM, and on all of the other trips we leave Tucson at 10AM in our 12-passenger van and drive to the Amerind Museum in the Dragoon Mountains to view this gem of a museum and get an overview of the ancient Casas Grandes civilization and the art that they left behind in their ruins. After a picnic lunch, we bird along the way at Whitewater Draw in Sulfur Springs Valley looking for hawks, ducks, and other water fowl. We continue on to Bisbee where we will have the afternoon to explore this scenic old mining town with its museums and unique shops. This evening we will enjoy a great meal and spend the night in one of Bisbee’s comfortable hotels. (L, D)
Day 2- After breakfast we cross the Mexican border at Douglas. On the way, we’ll stop to observe a small black-tailed prairie dog town adjacent to the highway. We drive to the ruins and museum at Paquime in the small town of Casas Grandes, site of the large adobe complex built by Amerindians from the 10th to the 14th centuries. The Casas Grandes culture produced styles of polychrome pottery that inspired Juan Quezada and other Mata Ortiz potters. Our visit to Paquime will give us the background we need to understand the roots from which the potters of Mata Ortiz take their inspiration. After lunch we drive to the famous pottery village of Mata Ortiz. We’ll spend two nights in a cozy, rustic inn owned by one of the master potters of Mata Ortiz, Jorge Quintana. The rooms are simple but large and clean, each with a heater, fan, and a private bathroom with a shower. We take all our meals at this inn. They are all homemade and delicious. After dinner we can take a stroll around town or just relax at the inn. All during the day and after dinner local potters will visit our lodge and display their latest made pots for sale. (B, L, D)
Day 3 – After an early morning birding along the river at the edge of town, we spend the entire day strolling around this quiet rural town, visiting potters in their homes and galleries, with the option of buying pottery to take home. In this town of approximately 500 families, over half of the adults (and many of the children) are involved in making pottery! If he is available, Jorge Quintana will give us an hour-long demonstration of building a pot from scratch. We may also sit in for a demonstration of the firing and painting of a pot at a gallery near the famous potter Juan Quezada’s home. In the evening Spencer McCallum, Juan Quezada’s discoverer and first benefactor, may give us a talk and slide show with stories about the history of the Mata Ortiz pottery phenomenon. (B, L, D)
Day 4 – After breakfast, we retrace our steps, birding along the lush riparian area near the nearby Mormon town of Colonia Juarez. Birds seen there include Common Black Hawk, Streak-backed Oriole, and Lucy’s Warbler. After lunch we begin our drive back home. We expect to return to Tucson by 8 PM and Phoenix by 10PM. (B, L)
Itinerary is subject to change, based on weather or other factors.
YOUR GUIDE
Juan Caicedo, a graduate of Prescott College, has a B.A. in Natural History and Ecology. He completed his senior thesis working with landowners at Villa Verde (“Natural History, Cultural Perceptions, and the Implication for the Management of Villa Verde”). Juan has traveled extensively throughout Latin America and South America. He is an expert birding guide.
COST AND POLICIES
The price of this trip is $999 based on double occupancy and a minimum of 6 people. The single supplement is $100.We will match you with a roommate of the same gender if you choose, but if this is not possible you will be charged the single supplement fee. The trip fee includes van transportation from Phoenix and Tucson, guides, meals, entrance fees, tips, and accommodations. Also included is trip insurance covering emergency medical services and emergency medical evacuation. The following items are not included: airfare to the starting place of the trip, alcoholic beverages, tips for the guides, and costs resulting from illness, injury, or emergency evacuation, program changes, and delays beyond our control.
To register for this tour, contact Debra Tranberg at info@naturetreks.net or call(781) 789-8127 for a registration packet. A deposit of $150 per person is required to reserve a spot on the trip. Full payment of the tour fee is due ninety days prior to the tour departure. If you have any questions, please contact us at(781) 789-8127 or info@naturetreks.net.
TRIP CANCELLATION POLICY
Refunds are made according to the following schedule. Cancellations in writing made more than 90 days before departure will forfeit $150. Cancellations made 70 to 90 days before departure will forfeit 50% of the trip price. There is no refund for trips cancelled less than 70 days before departure. No substitutions can be made for cancellations. It is highly recommended that you consider purchasing trip cancellation insurance to cover your financial investment in this trip. You may purchase this insurance by clicking the "Travel Insurance" button at the top of this page.
On the rare occasion when Nature Treks and Passages must cancel a trip, all payments received to date will be refunded. Nature Treks and Passages is not responsible for non-refundable airfare or trip insurance.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
A US passport or authenticated birth certificate and state-issued identification is required. Those with foreign passports should contact the Embassy of Mexico for details.